Chances are if you’re familiar with video games, you’ve heard the name Marvel Rivals at least once. For many people, the game seemingly became popular out of nowhere. However, Marvel Rivals quickly gained popularity and some students in Athens have even jumped on the bandwagon.
The game was released less than two months ago Dec. 6, 2024. However, it has already dominated the charts on nearly every gaming platform. On Steam, one of the largest game databases, Marvel Rivals stands on top in every category. As of Thursday, it ranked second in top-selling charts, third in the most popular game and first in popularity for the week.
It is not just Steam Marvel Rivals has made headway into. Marvel Rivals is currently the 5th most viewed category on the streaming platform Twitch. The game has its fair share of content on YouTube as well, with it being the second most popular game on the trending page. Popular streamers such as CaseOh and VanossGaming even upload videos of them playing the game.
Essentially, it has grown to be within the top ten most popular games despite being only a month old. Mo Martens, a junior geography major and member of the Ohio University Overwatch Esports Club, said the game’s popularity is caused by its variety of content.
“The reason people stay, I think, is because it has a lot of things that you love about your favorite game Overwatch, but it has new things,” Martens said. “So, it’s like a fresh take on a game that’s been around for a lot of years.”
As part of the Overwatch player base, Martens has watched peers turn away from Overwatch in favor of Marvel Rivals. Martens said there are benefits to Marvel Rivals has Overwatch does not.
“You get to learn new characters, (and) stuff you might be sick of, you’re free of,” Martens said. “So if you’re used to the same maps all the time, this game has new maps. It's visually similar enough to be familiar feeling, but distinct enough to be fresh and new.”
On top of that, a game’s ranking system becomes more set in place as the games get older. For example, an account that consistently loses in one rank may be stuck there for a long time with no way to advance.
Marvel Rivals offers a fresh ranking system because of its recent release.
“It's easier to get placed somewhere competitively (where) you think you belong,” Martens said. “Previously, you were more likely to get stuck with teammates who are also stuck in a ranking.”
Marvel Rivals also brings about an interesting concept by meshing together an already existing franchise with a classic style of video game. The concept can be interesting for Marvel fans, who wish to play as their favorite characters, and gaming fans, who may wish to add a new game to their rotation.
Jack Tarle, a sophomore psychology major, is a member of Ohio University’s Overwatch Varsity Team. Tarle said the game’s collaboration with Marvel had a positive influence.
“I think it was really easy for a Marvel fan just to instantly jump in (the game),” Tarle said.
Athens has seen a rise in popularity in the game as well. Martens said her friend and members in the esports scene had mentioned the game. A league has yet to be created, however, as the game isn’t yet in the official Esports League.
“I'd like to see it in the esports scene,” Martens said.
Tarle said the game has overtaken OU’s Esports Arena.
“If you walk out (to the arena), there's gonna be everybody, the majority, probably playing (Marvel Rivals) right now,” Tarle said.
There are other wishes for the future of Marvel Rivals as well, with Martens expressing the desire for more diverse models, especially among the female characters.
“A lot of the female characters look like (the same) 3D base and (a new) model on top of it, so…(they) look shockingly similar to a lot of the other characters,” Martens said.
Tarle said he fears the potential of in-game “power creep,” or newer content becoming more powerful than older content.
“If they keep releasing so many heroes rapidly … I think it will cause a lot of problems competitively,” he said.
Whether the game will stand the test of time and form an official esports league at the school is yet to be seen, but its popularity for now is undeniable. Overall, Marvel Rivals remains a refreshing change to the competitive shooter game genre and adds variety to the gaming and streaming scene.
